Broad shoulders responsibility

Stuart Broad helped restrict Australia to a hard-working 239 for seven in the second NatWest Series match at Cardiff.

After Broad (four for 44) had taken three top-order wickets for 12 runs, it seemed Australia were about to entirely squander the rapid start made by Shane Watson .

Stuart Broad (right)

But Cameron White (86no), playing against his naturally aggressive instincts for much of his innings, dug out a worthwile total on a pitch which was quicker than many anticipated and discomforted Australia with some occasional extra bounce from dangerous areas.

White nonetheless kept his cool and then upped the tempo in an important sixth-wicket stand of 84 with Steven Smith.

Watson (57) had put the pace to a half-century opening stand with Tim Paine as the tourists, who won the toss on a fresh afternoon, threatened to cut loose in pursuit of a victory which would level the five-match series at 1-1 but Paine and Ricky Ponting each went caught behind to become the 100th and 101st one-day international victims of Broad’s career.

Australia’s 50 came up in nine overs, and the openers both appeared to have plenty of power to add until Broad nabbed an unlikely wicket when Paine tried to deflect runs off an unremarkable delivery on his pads only to instead edge a routine catch behind.

Ponting’s dismissal reflected much more credit on the bowler, who got one to kick from a decent length just outside off-stump.

Broad struck again when he found extra bounce from the Cathedral Road end, England rewarded for posting a short-leg as Michael Clarke failed to fend the ball down or wide of Graeme Swann. Watson’s run-a-ball half-century ended in anti-climax when he mis-pulled Luke Wright to lob a gentle skier into the leg-side for Craig Kieswetter’s third catch.

Then after Anderson returned to rip a quick inswinger through Michael Hussey and make it 118 for five in the 30th over, White and Smith had little licence to attack as Australia’s batting resources threatened to run out early.

After White escaped a run-out scare on 57, Broad unable to flick the ball back on to the stumps in his follow-through to beat a sharp single, he had enough left to help grab 70 from the last 10 overs to give Australia something to bowl at under the lights.